Nexus One thoughts

Hello World,

I'm having a lot of fun with my N1. I like the whole bit about unlocking it and cooking ROMs and having full control of the device. It's sweet. Here are just some thoughts I've been having while discovering my new toy:

• Typing is really fast. I think it's faster than that of my 3GS.
• I like holding the device in my hand. It's so smooth and easy on the hands. It's thinner than my 3GS, but it also doesn't have a case. I doesn't know if I will get one for it. I probably will.
• I strongly disagree with anyone saying the AMOLED is a "nightmare" in sunlight. This past weekend, I pulled it out in clear and sunny Calgary weather with my polarized sunglasses on, and it was perfectly acceptable to me. I took off my shades, and obviously, the visibility was much better. This effect reminds me of what I see in the audio world. People think they should hear something, and therefore they hear it. They spent so many hundreds of dollars on this piece of equipment, and therefore their sound automatically must be better. Like everything in life, if it's more expensive, it's better, right? I honestly don't know what people are looking at. I wonder if this is a case of LCD manufacturers harping on AMOLED technology, and some people are drinking the koolaid. I'd say the screen is perfectly usable. I know the 3GS's screen was much brighter in sunlight, but that isn't to say that the N1's AMOLED screen is a nightmare. I'd say it's probably just an exaggeration, borderline wrong.
• Froyo is so snappy. I really like it. I even called my brother just to share my jubilation. So easy to use. Probably faster than the 3GS in some areas, but I can't really comment without a side-by-side test.
• I feel that this Android 2.2 + N1 is what Google always envisioned. As always, there are still some rough edges and some areas that need to be ironed out, but I think it's a really great device. Great software, great hardware, easy to use, quick response. I know it's a real geek phone, but I think a lot of "normal" people would like this thing.
• I haven't even tried out Flash on this thing yet. I'm just excited I can start surfing digg.com again and not get that blasted question cube everywhere I click.

That's all for now. Will come up with organized thoughts someday. As you were.

Taste the Nexus One

Booya. Nexus One arrived and everything. So much to catch up. I'm only going to speak in truncated sentences for brevity. There are things I like about the N1, and there are things I find distasteful. Let's throw up a pros and cons list.

Hates/Cons:

• Eclair is soooo slow. I can't explain how crappy it was. At least, my expectations were high. I can't believe the N1 actually shipped like that since it came out. Unbelievable. I was running the EPE54B AT&T/Rogers/Bell/Telus firmware, which is further than the shipped T-Mobile versions, as far as I read. Nevertheless, everything was clunky and slow, the response was abysmal, and I felt like I had made a terrible purchase because of it.
• Mm, pretty much everything compounded from the whole slowness thing. Where to begin? Typing was a nightmare, battery life was a bad joke, location was lost. I hated almost everything since it was slow.
• Why no wake-with-trackball-click? Sometimes I feel Android is just different for the sake of being different, ie. different from the iPhone when it doesn't need to be. There are plenty of features that can fit into both OSs without patent infringement or copy-catting.
• I don't like how everything is thrown into that one main app listing thingy. I want them all out there after I download them.
• There aren't very many good games in the Android Marketplace. Give it time, I suppose. I wonder how hard it is to program for a platform with infinitely many screen settings. Apple seems to have a hard time with just 2.
• I miss the ability dTunes from Cydia gave you to download any song you wanted if you felt like listening to something. I fear I cannot do this in Android.

Likes/Pros:

• Hardware is so slick. I love holding this thing in my hand. I hate the shape and size of the iPhones 3G and 3GS. I wonder what the 4 will be like. Nevertheless, the curves and rounded edges are such a dream on this thing. It's like the lead hardware designer had my hand size in mind. I want to high-five him. Internet-five!
• Froyo FRF83 is wicked awesome. Because of the super confusing method of upgrading, I was caught just after unlocking my bootloader when the OTA hit my phone; go figure, eh? The top two improvements, from my three days' experience with Eclair, is that A) typing is much more palatable and B) the speed has just shot through the roof. Everything else hinges off those two improvements for me. You know what my expectations were coming into this whole Android mess. I think the speed is probably on par with the 3GS with either having the edge in certain areas.
• Notifications bar is so ballin'. No more "IN YOUR FACE!" pop-ups for low priority events. Oh yes. I will likely miss that when I hit iPhone 4. :(
• USB drag-n-drop. The world has gotten so used to Apple's strict policies that the freedom to use the capacity you paid for feels alien and wrong. Even though I only have a 4GB microSD, I will use this thing as a USB drive. Drag-n-drop tunes is new, but it's also awesome. Nevertheless, I am glad I have everything organized via iTunes, but at the same time, I'm glad Android doesn't need it to sync. Oh sheesh. That segues me nicely into...
  
• ...cloud syncing! Never you mind, Apple. The Internet's got it figured out for us. Syncing it all to the Google account is so easy. Nevermind iTunes+iTunes Music Store+App Store integration, Google Account is here! Can't wait to start syncing browsers...
• Search button. I'm not used to it, but I think I'll get used to it.
• Dedicated period and comma buttons. Thank you, God and Google.
• Google Navigation. I won't use this feature much since I won't have a car to drive until January, and I usually just figure out the route to my destination before getting too far anyways. I still think GPS navigation is a toy. I prefer to know beforehand where I'm going before I head out. That's just me.
• How can I forget built-in rootability? Thanks, Googs. Even though I voided my warranty, the ability to install any firmware I want is pretty much golden. Thank you. Even though the FRF83B OTA came out half an hour after I unlocked my bootloader, I still like the ability to do what I want with my device.

That's all that really comes to mind at the moment. Things are so exciting now. New toy. Very interesting. I'd say that the N1 on Froyo is a competitor to the 3GS, and that's still a compliment for El Goog which is still the newcomer in the market. There are a lot of little nitpicks about Android that I like, but there are probably just as many about iOS that I miss. Overall, I think that the smartphones are just about the same. What matters is the services they provide. I can listen to music on either, I can play games on either, I can text and call people on either, I can go on the internet on either. I'd say Android and iOS are about even in terms of user experience for me, though I'm still in the honeymoon stage with Android. My pros/cons list can go on, but I have not the desire to pick things apart just yet. I'm just ecstatic that my N1 has Froyo, and arguably, the review and comparison should start now. I made a pretty big gamble on Froyo, and boy, am I glad I did. I'm not much of a risk taker, so that was a big sore point for me up until the update. Once I get a bit more settled, I'll create my own take on a guide for unlocking and rooting the N1. For now, check out theunlockr.com's guides. I'll try to make mine as newbie-friendly as I can, ie. make it the set of instructions I wish I had before going into this process. Alas, I've only had a little taste of Froyo, but first impressions are really positive.

I think Google deserves a round of applause and some thanks. Thank you, Google, for giving the world Android and the N1. Thank you for Froyo. I'm so glad I got this phone now.

Nexus One has arrived, sort

Harro Kitty,

Today, my Nexus One was delivered, but not really. No one was at home to receive the package, so DHL will try again later or the package will have to be picked up. This is so exciting. Just when FroYo was open-sourced as well. This is so exciting. Perfect timing. Now alls I gotta do is activate the SIM card and pick it up. I'm so excited to try this whole Android thing out. This FroYo business seems to be the talk of the town. Only a few more days.

Note: I wonder what I was thinking about in the previous post when I wondered if I could carve out a microSIM card. That's only for the iPhone 4 and iPad, so I don't understand what was going on in my head. I guess I was looking so far ahead that I already owned an iPhone 4. *shrug* I'll probably do just that, but we'll still have to see...

Official Google Method

Oy oy,

So that eBay auction went down the drain. Dern it. Alas, the seller never got back to me about the damage on the corners, so it looks like I'll be obtaining my phone officially. It'll cost about 100 dollars for shipping, but the mere fact that I can't find anything for sale tells me that I have a good chance at recovering most of my losses if I sell it. The plan is to experience the newest, best Android public release and compare that with what I remember from my day-to-day with the iPhone 3GS. I've been reading up a bit on forums about people's experiences with the N1. Seems part of the N1 crowd is a spoiled bunch. They're the first with 2.1 and 2.2, and some of them can't stop whining.

"There are too many bugs. Release it faster!"

"They released the last one too fast, and now there are too many bugs!"

>.>

Nevertheless, I myself am excited for 2.2. I know I've never had any other Android, but I did play with the N1 at OmegaCell in Edmonton. It seemed really slow. Part of the big deal of Froyo is that everything is supposed to be a lot tighter and quicker; the OS should be lighter. I'm quite excited about that since I always liked how tight the integration between OS and hardware was on my 3GS. We'll see how everything balances out on the N1.

For the record, this is my view looking into the whole N1 experience:

• I had the iPhone 2G 16GB, and then I got the 3GS 32GB when that broke.
• I jailbroke my iPhones. My favourite "apps" were
  ProSwitcher + Activator + Backgrounder
  SBSettings + Rotation Inhibitor
  Notifier
  GlovePod
  20 Second Lockscreen
  What I liked about them was that they solved the problems that Apple never did/could. Gesture-based operation was probably the best thing. The things I used most were Messages and Mail, and being able to swipe from anywhere in the OS to open either of them was the best.
• I hear lots of great things about Android on Engadget.
• I don't know a lot of people with Android, so I haven't played with it much.
• People rave about the notification system. Being able to pull down the status bar seems pretty sweet. It's like a useful Windows 7 Action Center.
• Built-in rootability is sweet. XDA Developers seem like they have everything down pat.
• Sense UI seems sweet and all, but it can't keep up all the time. That's why I'm going with the N1, to have the most up to date Android experience.
• The N1 feels great in my hand. I hated the iPhone's width ever since the 3G. I miss my 2G. I look forward to holding the N1 again.
• My left jean pocket misses having a phone in it.
• Swiping better be quick. I'm going to hate slow swiping and poor touch response. I hate seeing new devices "compete" with the iPhone by having a capacitive touchscreen with lag. Yes, I've seen the report where the screen HTC used for the N1 is totally crappy compared to that of the iPhone, so I'm a bit anxious. I used to be a text entry speed demon on my 3GS, but I fear it will be a bumpy transition to the N1's screen.
• Will I be successful in carving out a microSIM card?
• Will a rooted Android be able to overcome my attachment to a jailbroken iOS in the time it takes for Apple to release the iPhone 4 to Canadians?

Procurement of my Nexus One

Hello internet land,

I'm currently figuring out the best way to get my phone. I can buy it straight up from Google, but since they ship with DHL who charges 70 CAD cash-on-delivery, I can't get it shipped to my apartment. I work during the day, and there is no guarantee I can get the item shipped during the weekend when I am home. Further, the total cost of the phone ends up being around 650 CAD, meaning you pay around 100 for shipping. Not cool, IMO. Kijiji and Craigslist all turned up empty in the Fort McMurray area, so it seems my best option is to get a used one off eBay. There are a tonne of units that are even more expensive than buying it from Google, so there are only a few worth getting. I prefer getting the "Buy It Now" button because I don't like fussing around with sniping and such. Then you have to whittle it down to just AT&T/Rogers units since I'm with Rogers. Not a lot of choice, so please don't snipe me. :P

If this doesn't work out, maybe I'll have to get a brand new unit. For those keeping track, that's a difference of 150. Maybe it'll be the better choice in the end. I still have a bit of time to make my decision.

I wonder what this means for my iPhone app.

Phone Transition

Hello all,

I know I've been away for a while, but I was on a week-long cruise from LA to Mexico and back. I got home two nights ago, and I'm slowly piecing my life together. The cruise is important because that's where I lost my iPhone 3GS 32GB. It somehow went missing, even though at least 7 people searched the entire room, the card swipe and security cameras showed no break-in or unauthorized entry, and I know for sure that I left it in my room. At this point, it seems no one will compensate me for lost electronics, so I am now in a bit of a jam. I've always wanted to try Android a la Google Nexus One, but the opportunity never came up. I'll be blogging my experience with Android, being an avid iPhone user for something like two years. By avid, I mean that I jailbroke, tweaked, SSH'ed, tethered, the whole shibang. I even started a tiny bit of work on my own iPhone app. ;) We'll see how things go. Maybe I'll have to scrap the whole iPhone app idea seeings as I don't even have one anymore. =T

Yes. I wanted to let you all know this tragedy that has befallen me. If you feel so inclined to send me some startup funds for my N1, I'd be more than happy to take your charity. It hurts financially to lose something so valuable. I don't think I have any followers besides Carrie, so I'll understand if nothing shows up in my PayPal (which can be reached at *cough cough* joneeboi at gmail dot com). I'm just saying... :P